Corruption
by DarkDeepWater129
Summary: It had never occurred to her that even one fallen angel would ever reminisce, would ever seek out the memories of their past, showing just the slightest hints of regret. This discovery would be the one that would change the course of her path indefinitely. *Sasu/Saku/Neji/Ita* *Angels and Demons* *LEMON* *Language* *Sexual Themes*
1. Captured

**Okay, so I recently got back into my old obsession of Naruto fanfictions, I cannot tell you why I'm obsessed with them, I just… AM. It's kind of ridiculous. Anyway, reading them has spurned the idea of THIS story along with a few other random thoughts and what-not, anyway… there is lemon, there is drama and romance and I KNOW the lemon here is between Neji and Sakura, but I have decided that this is ultimately a Sasu/Saku so yea, bare with me here... also that cover picture you see in the corner... I drew that in like an hour, real quick and messy. I figured most of you probably don't really look at that stuff so yea ;) but I still wanted the story to have a fitting cover photo.**

**Also, I'm sorry for being lousy at updating. I really am working on that. Truly.**

**Enjoy my lovelies.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the concept of angels and demons and fallen angels and all that.**

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White light and blissful peace had always been her home. Beyond gentle clouds caressed by the wind, beyond the warm rays of sunlight that kissed the face of the Earth, in the realm of Paradise, she was known as Gabriel. That was her God given name, but to her closest friends and allies, her name was Sakura. Time moved quickly and slowly all at once as she witnessed a new sunrise climbing up over the city she was currently residing in. At this moment she was the clean morning air, she was the fresh dew clinging to the grass, the blooming cherry blossoms on their trees and the spirit of peace in the hearts of the people waking to the new day and even though she was not in her physical form, she was still a witness to the coming of morning for the people she had been told to watch over for the time being.

God in Heaven had sensed ancient darkness slowly building here, waiting here; the kind of darkness that He had informed them long ago was the darkness of one of the Fallen. One of the angels that followed Lucifer into the pits of Hell, that chose to defy God. Such strong evil forces could only be handled by archangels... So Sakura observed quietly, and had been observing the stretch of the entire country in which the large city dwelled for a few years before she had managed to pinpoint the emanation of dark power to this specific city.

As she took pleasure in freeing her essence throughout the homely and beautiful land of Konoha, she felt a different presence besides the warmth of the sun approaching from the east. She easily manifested herself into a physical being among one of the many planes of Paradise that overlooked the Earth, this one overlooking her city, with thigh length cherry blossom pink hair curling and flowing beautifully in the wind paired with her happy, smile squinted, shining emerald green eyes that warmly welcomed her most favored visitor.

"Neji!" Her voice rang out melodically as she approached the tall male making his way towards her with her arms wide open.

Michael was his God given name, but she knew him fondly as Neji. He appeared before her against the bright light of glorious paradise, white wings spread, waist length brown hair dancing in the wind as he closed the distance between them swiftly. Sakura's equally pure wings fluttering with happiness as Neji's folded slightly in contentment as he held her closely in this arms, resting his eyes and nuzzling his face into her hair as he felt his very soul respond to her touch and her scent, her close proximity.

"Sakura..." He breathed her name like a prayer and pulled back only enough to stare into her eyes with his own pure and beautiful silver pair. He caressed her cheek gently and kissed her lips, savoring the feeling of her soft lips and the warmth that spread into his heart from this simple act of affection. They truly loved each other, and even though they were angels, they could still physically portray that love and none of it was ever simply a primal need, a sin of lust. Sakura felt herself warm up and glow in response to the kiss.

She opened her mouth and invited him to slowly deepen the kiss as she moved her lips against his own, caressing his silky brown hair and pulling him closer to herself. She felt her heart swell when his lips and body responded to her advances. They kissed and touched, gently caressed and smiled and their fingers would linger at every touch of hair and skin. Sakura finally pulled away long enough to take Neji by the hand and guide him to a comfortable bed of clouds, and laid him down gently before setting herself next to him and leaning over his form to kiss him again, her curtain of rose colored hair brushing against his cheek and mingling with his own dark hair spread over the white cloud cushion.

"Where have you been...?" She whispered lovingly, caressing his cheek and looking into his eyes.

"I've been guarding the Gate to Hell... demons have been more daring and brazen lately, many of us believe they are plotting something, but it's not clear what that is yet..." He murmured in response, concern clearly showing on his face.

Sakura nodded in understanding. "I don't have that much time to spend away from my duty... I would like to make the most of what little time I can spend with you for now..." She whispered against his lips before kissing him fully and coaxing him into reciprocation. He soon began to move his lips more purposefully against her own, caressing her cheek and neck with the utmost care before caressing her collar bone and proceeding further, moving his hand beneath the wide collar of her kimono to rub his thumb over her shoulder and slowly push off the fabric of her clothing. She untied the thick silky ribbon around her waist and let it loosen on it's own as she kissed Neji's lips, jaw and neck, each kiss slow and loving, running her fingers along his scalp and through his hair before gently bringing them back to his chest to help him untie his own kimono shirt.

Sakura lay back against the comfort of the cloud as her kimono loosely spread open to reveal her body. Neji hovered over her, having removed his hakama pants, his cloak-like kimono shirt open to reveal perfect, unblemished, sculpted skin. The more he kissed her, the more he felt like his soul was feeding off her warmth and love, and he touched her body as if he was worshipping her: gently, with purpose, with feeling. She breathed heavily beneath him as her hands roamed over his chest and up unto his hair before she pulled him down by the back of his neck for a deep kiss. He braced his elbow beside her face and tucked his other arm behind her, supporting her between her wings and propping himself up perfectly to push his length inside her, slowly. She sighed at the feeling, filling her up and making her hold on to him tighter, her legs coming to rest around his waist as he carefully slid in and out of her, giving her small kisses on her cheeks, her lips, her chin, loving her every single second he spent locked in her arms.

They moved together steadily, gracefully, wings shifting ever so slightly as they panted and whispered words of love to each other and completed each other in perfect synchronization before they reached the peak of the physical manifestation of their love.

They closed their eyes and let the bliss wash over them, staying in each other's arms long after the peak of completion had faded.

Sakura kissed Neji's cheek and forehead before whispering, "I have to watch over these people, it is God's will, and I have neglected them for too long already…" She sat up gingerly and pulled up her kimono around her shoulders and retied the ribbon around her waist before helping Neji tie his own kimono. He smiled at her lovingly and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I'll come back and find you when we both have time to be together and don't have any pressing duties to fulfill…" He promised her, caressing her cheek and kissing her on the forehead once before stepping back a few feet, spreading his wings and flying out of her plain of paradise. She watched him leave before looking back down at her happy village. It was already noon and she watched people walk up and down the street in contentment, living their daily lives. Sometimes she wished she could have such a mundane life with Neji at her side, so they'd have more time to spend together. But she was an angel and she had a purpose and she lived to help guide and protect God's creations.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to set when she felt it… the hints of darkness that let her know whoever it was, they were definitely attempting to hide their presence, but they could not fool her, not when she was this close. She looked critically over the expanse of the area where she could sense the faint traces of darkness, until she saw him… dressed in black attire, spiked black hair, black eyes, pale, flawless skin and a face with such beauty that she knew it to be inhuman. He walked amongst them as if he had done it many times; she observed as she grit her teeth and grimaced.

Finally he made his way to a deserted clearing and she made her move, unsheathing her archangel blade, she swooped down, invisible to the human eye and landed, cracking the earth with her thunderous power, her wing unfurled, her gaze unwavering as she stared into the eyes of the dark angel.

He smirked at her, thoroughly unfazed as she held her sword aloft, "And here I thought I was being inconspicuous…" He voiced, low and smooth as velvet as he tilted his head back and appraised the angel before him in all her luminous beauty.

"Not inconspicuous enough _demon_…" she hissed the last word venomously, "If you give up information on what it is you are all planning then I will let you go with your existence intact."

The dark angel snorted at that, "You don't scare me angel…" he said back lightly, shrugging his shoulders and tilting his head forward to look up at her through his bangs. "I don't think you know who you're dealing with…"

Suddenly, black wings sprung forth from his back, as large and intimidating as her own, and his eyes shifted from black to red, unforgiving and deep as blood. Sakura's emerald eyes narrowed as she mentally recalled the stories of the blood brothers… Abbadon and Azreal. The power coming from him felt like pure destruction more so than the cold grip of death and she realized whom her opponent was.

"Maybe it is you who does not know who they are dealing with…" she growled as she charged at him, sword in hand and watched him quickly summon a black blade and parry her blow, using his wings to fly and dodge her swift second attack. She used her wings to push herself up to his level, blocking his blows inflicting a few of her own, and for a while they seemed to be evenly matched. Sakura blocked, kicked, swerved, and attacked mercilessly but was still unable to land a blow. She moved faster, pushed harder, feigned a blow to his leg and twirled in a fraction of a second to scrape his cheek with the edge of her blade. The cut of a holy blade burned him enough to distract him for a second longer; allowing her to land a few shallow blows along his torso which he dodged enough to avoid severe damage.

They landed a ways away from each other before she called out in a powerful voice, "I am Gabriel, archangel of heaven…" She watched his eyes widen a fraction as she readied her blade again, "And I will smite you in the name of God if you do not give up whatever information you know… and go back to where you came from."

He only smirked before the ground beneath her feet shattered and she only faltered for a second, lost her footing for just a single moment, and the clang of his blade against her sword echoed as the hilt forcibly left her hand. She reached for it, trying to right her grasp on it, but by then he had his arm around her waist, he pressed his hand in between her shoulder blades and spider webs of grey spread through her wings from the center of her back in that split second and suddenly the light in her eyes blew out and gave way to a deep forest green before they closed shut and she lost consciousness. Her blade shattered like an illusion of glass as it returned to the void from where only Gabriel could summon it.

Abbadon watched Gabriel's wings fade into the wind as they were no longer needed by the unconscious angel and willed away his own as he carried her in his arms and smirked to himself, "Itachi won't believe who I've caught…" He chuckled to himself as he brushed his lips over her forehead, eyes glowing red in triumph as he walked deeper into the forest that surrounded the city.

* * *

"An Archangel, brother? Are you trying to bring the wrath of heaven down upon us by taking her away from her post? Why could you not have simply avoided an encounter with her…" Itachi sighed irritably as he gazed at the angel strewn across a modest cot in their underground fortress of a hideout, hidden beneath the city of Konoha. Sasuke shrugged, "I couldn't resist a good fight…" he muttered as he traced a finger over the cut on his cheek and inspected the other shallow wounds on his torso.

"She was holding back… she didn't want to kill you, she wanted to make you talk…" Itachi also inspected his brother's wounds from his position on the opposite side of the cot.

"I'm sure she'll regret it when she wakes up." Sasuke sneered, flicking his eyes down to the angel, her hair spilling over the edges of the cot, her kimono slightly ruffled, revealing more of her thighs and cleavage. A tempting sight, and Sasuke couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he were to corrupt an archangel.

"We'll have to keep her prisoner until we have finished what we need to do here." Itachi ordered as he left the room to return to his business while Sasuke kept his eyes locked on the unmoving form of the angel lying before him. Then he snapped the handcuffs over her wrists and ankles before pulling up a chair from the corner of the room to rest near the foot of her bed and sat, making himself comfortable and preparing to wait for the righteous maiden to awaken.

In his waiting he picked up a hand sized stone and began to chip and scrape at it with a black pocket blade of his creation, an unnecessary action to pass the time and keep his hands busy. He wasn't quite sure what exactly he was drawing out from within the depths of the stone as he carved more and more of it away and by the time he could recognize what it was, he let his confusion flicker to life for a split second before he simply allowed his hands to finish what they had started and apathetically gazed upon the single stone cherry blossom, about four times the size of a normal cherry blossom, in his hand. Then the body on the cot began to stir and he looked up at the angel's face as she slowly regained consciousness.

When her eyes fully opened and haziness cleared away, she sat up rapidly, her hair an attractive, wild mess and her eyes all afire as she processed her last conscious memories and her current situation. Her eyes honed in on Sasuke's own and narrowed as she glared at him.

"Filthy demon…" she hissed as she dug her fingers into the thin blankets of the cot. "How DARE you lay a hand on me."

Sasuke smirked, "You're lucky I haven't laid more than just a hand on you…"

The minute those words passed from his mouth Sakura's face slackened to fearful disbelief, her complexion paling ever so slightly as Sasuke stood from his chair and walked closer to her. He took her chin in between his fingers and tilted her face up to look at him as he bent down to stare into her pure emerald eyes.

"You'll be safe for now angel… we just need to keep you locked up long enough for us to finish our plans here… then we'll set you free." He gazed at her face, from her wide, guarded eyes to her full parted lips before he let her go and strode out of the room, closing the door shut behind him.

Sakura sat unmoving on the cot staring at the door before she noticed a small weight on her lap and looked down to see a large stone cherry blossom sitting innocently against the vivid red and white of her kimono. She picked up the stone flower in her hands and inspected the intricate work before looking back up at the door.

She wanted to throw the cherry blossom against the hard stone floor, but restrained herself. Instead, she lay back against the pillow and sighed, holding the unexpected gift in her hand, closing her eyes so she could sort through the confusion in her head. A demon giving her a gift of hand crafted beauty, her namesake no less, even if he didn't know it, was still something that she hadn't expected a demon to be capable of. Maybe it was because he was once an angel.

Sighing again, she growled in frustration before allowing herself to sink into quiet defeat.

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**End of Chapter One. I have learned my lesson and have decided to try the whole 'write multiple chapters before posting the first one' so I don't, you know, … disappoint all of you with my lack of updating.**

**I don't know why, but when I re-read this for editing reasons, it felt like everything happened too quickly, you know? I'm wondering if it's just because I've read it so many times or if it really is too quick. Let me know.**

**I love you all my dear lovely reviewers/followers/fans**

**~DDW129**


	2. Broken Law

**So I've honestly had an idea for a story like this for a long time and I guess I'm just now finally acting on making it… public, I suppose. Anyway I love you all my beautiful reviewers. SERIOUSLY THO, I love you guys, your reviews make me so so so happy 3**

**Also disclaimers so I can make fanfiction and other people happy… **

**I don't own Naruto, nor do I own the Bible or anything… none of this is exact or anything, just kinda playing around with angels and demons and seeing what happens. **

**Enjoy Chapter 2**

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Sakura's heart sunk as she spread her wings and felt the beginnings of corruption rooted in the center of her shoulder blades. She was sitting up gingerly on the bed, her wings now folded in close to her back as she continued to clutch the stone cherry blossom in her hands close to her chest. She reasoned that once she was out of this godforsaken chamber and the demons were dealt with, she would have to take a bath in holy water.

She grimaced at the thought, but knew she would not hesitate to do what must be done. Stroking the stone petals of the flower in her hand, she longed to be free of these rune covered chains, meant to hold angels at bay, to step out from the walls covered in seals, meant to keep angels trapped, and sighed miserably. When she heard the bolt on the door slide to unlock she looked up to see Abbadon walk into the room. She honestly wasn't expecting to see him again so soon… it had only been a day since she was captured.

He closed the door behind him softly before walking towards the chair he left at the foot of her bed and sat down in it carefully. His hands clasped together on his lap and he hadn't acknowledged her yet, and Sakura would by lying if she said she wasn't curious to know what the demon wanted, since he had made no move to try to hurt her…yet. She watched him with a guarded expression, feeling the tension in her body as she cautiously stared at him, before he finally looked up to meet her gaze.

"I…know you don't owe me anything. I know we're natural enemies. I know these are things we cannot change and there are lines we cannot cross, but still… I would like to remember something... if only for a moment."

He spoke very softly, carefully… as though he were sharing with her a very important secret and something inside of her shifted as she allowed his words to sink in. She nodded at him to continue when he stayed silent and she waited patiently for him to speak.

"I would like to remember… what heaven is like… if would you tell me…?" She blinked her eyes wide in surprise. Of course, she knew dark angels were once angels that served her lord, they chose to betray him, to fall to hell, to become dark and demonic. Never did she think that any of them regretted it enough to reminisce, to even ask an angel to feed them only crumbs of memories of their glorious past.

She looked down at the stone flower and stroked one of the petals softly before murmuring, "Paradise… hasn't changed… the light is purer than that of the sun and the skies are still coated by the stars in the highest tier of heaven. The colors of the sky, from the blues of the day to the pinks and the oranges of dawn and dusk to the midnight blue of night… they are always touched by the light of paradise, it is never dark. The clouds are still soft and light in the my realm… the souls are happy… everyone wants for nothing."

The black haired demon before her sat silently for a few heartbeats before he finally spoke, "Sasuke."

Sakura looked up at that, eyebrows furrowed in slight confusion, "I go by Sasuke… not just Abbadon, or filthy demon." He smirked slightly as she nodded slowly, silently. She looked away and seemed to contemplate her next words very carefully before she spoke again, "Sakura… I prefer to be called Sakura."

Sasuke nodded, not sure of what to do with himself now that his request had been granted. He hadn't really expected the angel to comply…but somehow she found it in herself to show him a bit of kindness… angels really were merciful. He tried to remember a time when he was ever merciful. He couldn't recall even one moment, his memories of heaven and his life there were so dulled and corrupted by darkness.

"Why did you choose to fall…?" Her question broke the silence in the room. He gazed into her eyes before looking down at his clasped hands.

"Lucifer was like a father figure to me… and when he fell, that's the moment I chose… I decided… Lucifer was more of a father to me than God. So I fell." Sasuke remained silent as Sakura processed his words. She began to think that the dark angels were not so much evil as they were lost… at least some of them, as Sasuke seemed to be. He must have loved Lucifer very much to have fallen out of paradise to follow him and she wondered if she would do the same for Neji if he fell. The thought made her feel sick with heartache, and she found herself feeling more sympathetic towards the dark angel seated before her.

"Thank you…for the cherry blossom." She held up the stone cherry blossom as Sasuke looked up from his thoughts to focus on the stone flower in her hands, his lips twitching slightly into almost a smile. "It was nothing…" he vocally waved off her gratitude, but his eyes were slightly warmer than they had been before.

The warmth in his eyes brought more light into the dismal room than Sakura thought was even possible, and she smiled at the welcome change. That's when Sasuke's face slackened with surprise, eyes widening ever so slightly,a small blush dusted his cheeks and he coughed into his fist in a feeble attempt to hide his involuntary reaction, but he could still hardly keep his eyes away from the face of an angel with the most beautiful smile he had ever laid eyes on.

A small laugh bubbled from Sakura's lips at Sasuke's reaction and he couldn't help but smile slightly in return, the air beginning to feel lighter with every passing second. Sasuke was careful as he began to bring up other subjects… like friends and family, preferences in art and literature. And they began to talk more comfortably, spending many hours discussing these things, random conversations, moments in history, people and places, just getting lost in the memories.

Sakura sighed happily after a short, brisk laugh, as memories of the strange relationship between Michelangelo and Raphael, the painters whom worked close by each other, flitted through her mind. Sasuke had moved to sit on the foot of her bed, feeling more at ease around this beautiful angel than he had ever felt around anyone else. He found it strange, but chose not to dwell on it at the moment as Sakura's eyes sparkled with mirth as she looked it him. He couldn't comprehend how a creature was ever allowed to be so beautiful, and then she spoke, "Sasuke, come closer, I wish to share with you a secret."

Sakura was giddy and feeling better than she had in a long time. Even in heaven, it was rare whenever she got to talk about ordinary things, things that grew old and weathered with the passage of time, none-the-less things she still cherished and remembered. Most angels only ever liked to speak of their duties and their purity and their passions. But she honestly couldn't remember the last time she got to speak about art and history and language with someone else that actually cared about these things.

So Sasuke leaned forward, scooting closer to her, looking slightly eager to learn what this secret was, and Sakura had been planning to make him feel comfortable enough to get close to her so she could ensnare him and make him remove the cuffs around her wrist, but she had not expected him to be so likeable, or for her will to commit such an act of treachery to crumble. So instead, as he got closer, she kissed his cheek.

Her lips softly touched the smooth skin of his face about two centimeters away from the corner of his lips and Sasuke was frozen in surprise for a moment before he pulled back slightly to look into Sakura's eyes. She stared back, utterly shameless, and comfortably happy. The place where she kissed his cheek felt as if it had been caressed by the softest and smoothest silk and it spread a warmth through his cheeks that somehow reached his chest and beyond, and it felt so good. At the same time, everything felt so foreign; he had no idea how a simple kiss on the cheek could affect him so much, and then again, he had never before received affection from an angel.

Sakura's lips burned in a sweet, pleasurable way and she couldn't help but feel happy with the decision she ultimately made. She liked Sasuke, and she had no intentions of hurting him, despite what they've been through, despite who and what they were, because however brief their interactions may have been, she had already grown to like him. Sakura was old enough and wise enough to know when she felt a connection with someone, sometimes they formed instantly, like they did when she became friends with an angel that she called Ino. And sometimes relationships took time, and had to be built upon little by little, like her relationship with Neji, that was once a friendship and grew into a new, evolved form of love, different than that of the love between close friends, like the love she had for Ino. And yet, as she thought about Neji now, she couldn't seem to inspire in herself the same feelings of love that used to come so easily at the mere thought of his name.

But she wouldn't dwell on that, at this moment, Sakura wasn't sure what was driving her to do this, maybe it was the tingling in her lips that was spreading a pleasant warmth through her body, or maybe the seals had some kind of strange, manipulative qualities that affected her mind, or maybe she just honestly wanted to do this; Sasuke's face was just so handsome and his eyes were so dark, like the stone of the cherry blossom in her grasp, with black flecks around the pupils and the roiling grey of thunderclouds spreading at the edges of his irises. In the end, she couldn't seem to resist temptation. She leaned in and kissed his lips.

The feeling that overcame her was so maddeningly alluring, so overwhelmingly pleasurable and so unspeakably right; she pressed her lips a little harder against his. She never knew a kiss could make her feel this way; it was like nothing she had ever felt before in her many years of existence.

When she kissed him, Sasuke knew he wouldn't be able to resist, he knew he wouldn't be able to stop it or pull away. But when he let himself positively drown in it, he was sure that nothing else had ever felt so good, so pure, and so addicting in the best way imaginable. He was certain that this is what heaven tasted like as he moved closer to her, grasping her waist with one arm and using his free hand to caress her cheek, tilting her head back to deepen the kiss, his mouth hungry for more of her. The stone cherry blossom in Sakura's hands fell to her lap as she grasped the fabric of Sasuke's shirt at his elbow and at his waist, since she couldn't reach up any further due to the chains on her wrists, and yet she couldn't bring herself to care. Things inside her melted and came alive and everything around her seemed to blur and she felt hyperaware of Sasuke and everything he made her feel as she opened her mouth to him and let him in, let him taste her, let herself indulge in the feelings he spurred within her as they coalesced in her body.

As they kissed, neither saw the grey at the center of her wings broaden, stretching further into the white, ever so slowly, with the heat and the passion of their intermingling tongues and the pressing of their lips against each other, the stroking hands and the feverish skin.

Sasuke pulled away enough to allow Sakura a gasp of air, her eyes opened slightly, hazy and unfocused as she tilted her head forward and leaned on Sasuke's shoulder, her eyes closing again as she concentrated on regaining her senses, her body felt lighter than ever and her heart felt like it was running and soaring and yet content and filled to the brim with a warmth that served as irrefutable proof that this was right. As wrong as it seemed to her conscious and logical mind, she knew in her heart it was right, and she had always trusted her heart in similar situations, it never led her astray.

Sasuke used the hand that had caressed Sakura's cheek to run his fingers through her long, silky, wavy hair as he turned his face slightly, brushing his nose against a few strands and inhaling her scent. He was drowning, and he knew it. He knew he shouldn't be doing this, he knew he was supposed to hate her and she was supposed to hate him and this was never supposed to happen. He knew he should leave her, he should get up and leave, but he couldn't. He was drowning, slipping away from the things that he knew and taking the path that was utterly uncertain, but was filled with a hopeful promise; and that was something worth trying for.

For a long time he craved to remember what the light was like, what it felt like, to be back with the rest of the angels in heaven. Just a memory would have been enough, but she had given him more. She had given him a light, a real light to touch and feel, smell and taste, in the darkness that he had grown so accustomed to and it was more than he expected, but he was greedy enough to take it all without a single complaint. She would be his and he would be hers and he didn't care if it defied all the laws of existence.

He kissed her forehead as he calculated what the time it was in his mind, trying to figure out what Itachi would be doing right now and if he would be suspicious or curious about his brother's whereabouts. So he whispered in Sakura's ear, "I have to go… don't worry though, I'll be back, but right now I have to go… I can't have Itachi wondering where I am all this time."

Sakura looked up into his eyes in slight confusion, "Itachi?" Sasuke nodded, "Yes, my brother… that's the name he goes by…" Sakura nodded in understanding as she slowly released the grasp she had on Sasuke's shirt and shared one last chaste kiss with the fallen angel seated before her. Then he was up and crossing the room to the door in a few quick steps, pausing at the door to give her one last look before opening it, stepping out, and closing it softly behind him.

Sasuke moved through the stone hallways with purpose as he strode towards the center of the underground base. In a few minutes he entered a large, domed chamber where he and Itachi were conducting a ritual of black magic, to create a small opening into hell, only big enough to summon a few of their fallen companions, and not big enough to attract too much attention, serving as step one of their plan. Itachi was there, summoning runes with his power, expending energy the same way he has everyday for the past few months, since it had taken them a while to pinpoint an exact location to carry out this part of the plan and longer to place up seals so that the magic they expended here would be virtually undetectable.

Itachi looked up as his brother entered the room and drew his hands back from the pouring his energy into the circular runes on the floor. He dusted his hands as he crossed the room towards his little brother, the closer he got, the more he could sense the purity emanating from his brother's body. Coming from his face, his hands, his clothes and Itachi's eyes narrowed. The touch of an angel, that of which he had never sense before. Demons that came in contact with angels that were strong enough to subdue the angels and forcibly touch them would reek of taint, it smelled musky and dark it appealed to a demon's senses, it was something a demon wore with pride, bringing so much pain to their natural enemies, even though it wore off after some time. Even so, it didn't take very long to convince those around you of the great act you committed. But Sasuke smelled different, the scent was…pure, it was enriching and in a strange sense… sweet… and Itachi was smart enough to assume what it meant. Her attention was willingly given.

So Itachi paused a few feet short of his brother, noticing the cool façade on his siblings face and decided not to ask where he was for the last few hours… Itachi didn't bother to count, he knew it long enough for him to wonder, and he knew Sasuke would hope that he didn't.

Sasuke broke the silence first, "Is there anything I can get for you, brother?" Itachi saw the opening and swiftly took it.

"Yes, bring me 7 souls, each of them corrupted thoroughly by one of the seven sins. One sin per soul." Itachi's voice was smooth and natural; he threw in a bit of frustration to make Sasuke think he was angry at him for spending so much time away, gallivanting as Sasuke usually liked to do. Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed, but he nodded none-the-less. It would be difficult to find souls that were attuned to one sin the most, since humans usually indulge in more than one sin, but he nodded, accepted the task and moved swiftly away. The sooner he finished the task, the sooner he could come back to Sakura.

Sasuke wasn't all dark smirks and sarcasm now, and he himself probably didn't notice the change in his own behavior, but Itachi knew his brother, and he also knew when something in his brother was different, and something had indeed changed. Itachi didn't know what, but he was going to find out, and he knew exactly who to question.

Leaving his task alone as he sensed Sasuke's presence travel outside of the base, he moved to the room where the captured angel was chained to the small cot that he had been so forgiving to give her. He frowned, she was about to realize how unforgiving he could be.

He entered the room silently as she smiled down at a stone cherry blossom in her hands and closed the door audibly to gauge her reaction. He was not disappointed, he saw the look of hope flash in her eyes as she looked towards the door and saw it fall apart in the same second as she realized he wasn't his brother.

That's when he realized that Sasuke and this angel had somehow broken through the barrier of impossibility and grew angry with the angel chained to the small bed in the desolate room. they had feelings for each other. She would be the end of his brother if he didn't put a stop to this now.

He crossed the room swiftly and tilted her chin up so he could look into her eyes. He scrutinized her face as she looked at him, apprehensive, tense, slightly angry and very frustrated that she could not defend herself. He leaned closer to her, his face tense with anger and disbelief, "Do you know that what you and my brother are doing is against the natural order? You are supposed to hate him just as much as he is supposed to hate you, just for being who you are. Or have you forgotten the atrocities a demon, or a fallen angel, is capable of…?" He searched her face as her eyes widened in surprise. Caught. It was not in an angel's nature to lie.

"Maybe I should remind you why you are supposed to hate the fallen…" Itachi growled darkly as his black wings unfurled and his irises swirled, ablaze with the color of blood.

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**Don't hate me?**

**Because I love you?**

**And if you review enough, the next chapter will be up soon?**

**Questions questions questions.**

**I love you guys, tell me what you think, preferably no flames.**

**~DDW129**


	3. Taint

**Okay, so at the time I'm actually writing this, I'm procrastinating from studying for finals… carpe diem bitches I give no shits, I took a final today, I've paid my dues for today, I'm just gonna enjoy some more procrastination time before I start studying for tomorrow's final.**

**EDIT: YOU GUYS, I read your reviews and decided to post the new chapter SOOOOONNNERRRRR because I love you guys so freaking much! You fill me with joy and happiness with just a few reviews XD**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I'm sorry to any of you that aren't okay with forced sexualness, cause there's some of that in here.**

**WARNING: THERE IS ****FORCED**** SEXUAL HARRASSMENT OF THE VERY SEXUAL KIND, if you are not cool with this, there will be a BOLD message telling you when it is okay to read! BUT this is a large part of the chapter, so yea, you've been warned. Sorry again, it's just… you know, its part of the story.**

**I don't own Naruto or angels and demons and fallen angels and shit like that.**

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Sakura's eyes widened, feeling her heart drop into the pit of her stomach with a sense of impending danger and fear. Itachi let go of her chin as she forcibly turned her head away from him, gritting her teeth as she doubted for a split second the feelings that were blooming within her heart for Sasuke. She felt the air sweep past her as Itachi lightly flapped his wings and the chains around her wrists forcibly lifted her from the bed and chained her against the wall, bending to Itachi's will as her arms were spread above her head, immobile and useless as her wings, too, were spread against the wall, glowing seals appearing before her feathers, immobilizing her wings. The stone cherry blossom fell from her grasp to the floor as she felt the chains around her ankles spread her legs open as Itachi remained unmoving, staring at her the whole time. He flicked his wrist and the cot that was once in the center of the room flew to the side and crashed against the wall as Sakura flinched at the sound of the impact.

He stalked towards her purposefully, he made his intentions clear in his eyes as they roamed over her figure hungrily and Sakura shrunk back as much as she could. She knew of some angels that had been through this, every time wishing she had been there to save them, and never once thinking she could ever fall into one of these situations herself.

She opened her mouth to cry out, as futile as it may have been, hoping that maybe Sasuke would hear her in this underground cavern somehow. Instead, Itachi's hand wrapped itself under her jaw as he kissed her roughly, jamming his tongue into her mouth and relishing the taste of purity, sinking away under his touch and his kiss as she tried to fight him. She was strong, she didn't cry, and she seemed angry, as though she was actually trying to put up a fight. She moved to bite his tongue, but he roughly held her jaw and pulled back before she got the chance to do a lot of damage as he licked the corner of his mouth, tasting what little blood she could draw out of him. Her breathing was labored as she glared at him with hatred.

"You are worthless scum and I loathe to believe you have ever walked the land of paradise." Sakura growled, clenching her teeth and sneering at Itachi. Even with such a look of disgust and hatred, her face was beautiful, and Itachi couldn't help but notice. More so than any other angel he had ever come across, and he couldn't help but think that it will be especially fun to corrupt this one.

He stood close, brushing his lips against her jaw before she jerked her face away as much as she could and so he kissed a trail down her neck, feeling her body shivering with the need to recoil from his touch. She flinched when his hands grasped her clothed hips as he kissed along her collarbone, his hands trailing up her sides, skimming her breasts before resting at the lapels of her kimono before he swiftly tore it open, her supple breasts bouncing out as she choked on a gasp, her arms tugging harshly against the chains, her immediate response to cover herself effectively cut off. She forced her eyes closed, not watching to watch him do what he was going to do with her as she grit her teeth; she refused to give him the pleasure of hearing her crumble or watching her cry.

His hands roughly groped her breasts as he leaned down and practically swallowed one of her perfect, pink nipples, licking circles around the bud as he roughly rubbed the other, his eyes watching her face as she fought not to make a single sound of protest or involuntary pleasure. She was a fighter. He bit into her breast and watched her jerk slightly, her hands balling into shivering fists. He switched to the other nipple, and allowed one hand to grope and tease the free breast as the other traveled down her torso, spread open the flaps of her kimono at her thighs and reached up to drag a finger along the lips of her womanhood.

"GYAAAUUUGGHHH!" She roared out in anguish, her eyes flying open, and falling down to look into Itachi's red ones. He smirked, his teeth lightly clenched around her nipple as she stared down at him, a mixture of horrible emotions swirling in her eyes: hatred, disgust, anger, frustration, astonishment, disbelief. He let go of her nipple as his finger swirled around her clitoris slowly. She forced her eyes closed, shaking her head as he kneeled down, took his hand away from in between her legs to open up the bottom of her kimono so he had a clear view of her womanhood. He glanced up at her face, flushed, closed down, desperate, and then looked at her wings to see that they were half grey already. Smirking, he leaned forward, shoved his tongue into her womanhood, swirled his tongue around once and sucked harshly. Her screams reverberated through the stone halls.

Once he was done, Itachi pulled away from the center of the angel's legs, licking his lips, feeling very pleased with himself as he looked up at the face of the strung up angel. Tears had dried on her cheeks, soft sobs escaped her lips and as he stood up, he chose not to penetrate her with his actual manhood; she seemed to have learned her lesson.

*****IT IS NOW OKAY TO READ*****

Itachi left the room, leaving her against the wall in chains and seals, head down with a few dry sobs still rising from her throat. The stone cherry blossom was left abandoned on the floor, cracked, but not broken.

Sasuke came back with a bag of souls, having had to travel to the largest and most extravagant buffet restaurant, a high end brothel, an anger management clinic, a very prestigious school, and a few other places to get the souls he needed, but he got them all and returned to the large underground chamber to deliver them to Itachi as he stood by the runes on the floor, pumping magic and power into them.

He paused to walk towards Sasuke and take the offered bag from his brother. Itachi smirked, "Thank you little brother."

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow at the look on Itachi's face, but nodded anyway as he stuck his hands into his pockets, "If you need anything else, just cal-" Sasuke blinked as the scent radiating from Itachi hit his nostrils and he sniffed slightly, eyes dilating a bit and a hint of panic blossoming in the bit of his stomach. Itachi merely walked away from his brother and spread the souls at seven specific edges of the runes on the floor and made a symbol with his hands to infuse the souls into the magic of the runes. A flash of red light reflected off the walls before Sasuke took off running down the store corridors as Itachi leaned back and waited.

Sasuke kicked down the door of Sakura's holding chamber, and froze at the sight he was greeted with. She was shivering and even though she still had her kimono on, her breasts were exposed and so were most of her thighs. Her wings were grey except for the tips, which were thankfully still white. Her face was downcast; she hadn't looked up or made a single sound the entire time. He took a hesitant step forward and whispered carefully, "Sakura…"

At the sound of her name from Sasuke's lips she looked up at him, her face tear stained, her eyes slightly haunted before her face crumpled in sadness and she sobbed, "Sasuke!"

He rushed to her then, closing her kimono and adjusting it carefully so that it covered her comfortably again. He moved his hands over the seals on her wings as they vanished and she willed her wings away. Sasuke's face was more than angry at this moment, Itachi had done this... he had hoped that Itachi might have found another angel and that's why he had _the scent_, but it seems as though he had was wrong about his brother, and couldn't understand why.

"Your brother… did this… because he knows, I don't know how, but he knows, that we…" Sakura didn't have to finish her sentence as she watched Sasuke nod in understanding. His anger emanated from him in waves that split the stone in the room as he broke Sakura's chains. To hell with trying to sneak Sakura to freedom, he was going to openly disobey his brother, and deal with the consequences up front. She fell weakly into his arms as he carried her out of the room, the walls reverberating and cracking slightly as he strode purposefully though the halls towards the exit.

Sasuke wasn't surprised to see his brother just outside the base waiting for them.

"Sakura…can you walk?" She looked up at him as he said that and nodded slightly, feeling some of her energy come back now that she wasn't trapped by an abundance of powerful seals and runes and was able to take a breath of fresh air again. Sasuke set her down gently and murmured, "Go, get away as fast as you can…" Sakura's heart felt heavy as she looked at Sasuke, before finally conceding as she gave him a kiss on the cheek, stumbled away from him a few steps, spread her tainted wings and flew away. As soon as she was in the air, the ground in front of Sasuke cracked and he attacked, his black blade raised to the level of his shoulders as he charged towards his brother.

She didn't doubt he would be okay as she hugged herself and flew to closest church she could find.

Sakura stumbled through the double doors of the modestly sized church and let her feet carry her to the baptismal pond, which she knew to be filled with holy water. She shrugged off her kimono, her angel's clothing passed through her wings as if they weren't there and she stepped into the pond, submerging herself in the water as she hissed and cried out in pain, steam rising from her skin as the taint was slowly washed away. When she rose out of the water, taking a sharp gasp of air from the remnants of pain, she spread her wings and sighed in relief when she saw that they had returned to their pristine, white glory.

Stepping out of the water, she stretched out her arms and watched the water rise from her skin and hair before going back into the pond. She raised her hands above her head and summoned a new kimono, her old one disappearing in front of her. This kimono was made of different greens that accented her eyes, the darkest green creating a design of leaves blowing in the wind at the ends of her sleeves and at the bottom of the kimono.

When she felt ready, Sakura made her way out of the church, spread her wings and few back into the safety of heaven, hoping to spot Sasuke and Itachi, but it seemed as if their battle had ended or they must have resumed it underground, because she couldn't sense them on the Earth's soil in this region.

She would wait though… she would wait for the perfect opportunity to see Sasuke again, when his brother wasn't anywhere near him.

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Sasuke's back hit the stone wall of the cavernous room at the center of their underground hide out. He glared at his brother, blood red eyes battling each other as Sasuke growled out, "Why the HELL would you do that to her! What the fuck did she do to you?!" Itachi contained his anger better than his brother, but his frustration was still clearly visible on his face, "She's tempting you with the light of her purity, that connection to heaven that we no longer have, and if you fall prey to the ultimate weakness of emotions, and even worse, having them for a wretched angel, then you will be hunted by your own kind and her kind as well, you both will become the enemies of both factions and you will have no where to go. I won't let that happen." Itachi bit back harshly, both of the brothers sustaining shallow injuries as they faced each other from across the room.

"Then why didn't you just take it out on me?! Leave her out of it!" Sasuke was insistent as the walls shivered with his anger, dust and small rocks falling from the cracks in the structure around them as Itachi calmed, facing his brother without fear and without shame, "I had hoped to inspire hatred in her heart for all demons, fallen angels and the like… that she would hate us all as a whole more than she cared about you as an individual. I failed."

Sasuke snarled, rushed forward and punched his brother, sending Itachi flying and crashing against the wall. He neither flinched nor cried out in pain, only checked to make sure his jaw was still working correctly before calmly turning to his brother, anger and fury crackling around him like a high voltage electricity. "Don't touch her again." Sasuke said nothing else as he turned and left the room, the electric charge in the air slowly leaving with him. If Itachi wasn't his brother and if they hadn't had a task to complete and a plan to carry out, then Sasuke would have tried to kill him.

Sasuke didn't even know he had strode towards the room Sakura had been held captive until he stood before the open entrance, looking inside and seeing in his mind the picture of her pinned to the wall, looking so hurt and defeated, as guilt began to well up inside him for leaving her side. He bent his head; the feeling of having failed her so early in their relationship, whatever kind of relationship it might be, wounding him. That was when he saw the stone cherry blossom he made her on the ground. He picked it up gingerly, and the anger he felt for his brother flared up in him again.

He wanted to go out and see her, but Itachi had taken their fight into the underground base and then sealed the door to the outside, it wasn't permanent, but it would last for three days.

Sasuke leaned back against the stone wall and slid down to a seated position, clutching the cherry blossom in his hand and closing his eyes, attempting to think about the situation rationally, attempting to figure out what move he should make next. He wanted to see her again, but he'd have to wait, and in that time he would figure out how to see her without putting them both in danger.

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**Okay, so not a cliff hanger. Things are starting to click into place little by little, I feel a bit silly for not really fully planning out a story like a normal person, I kinda get an idea for the middle and fragments of everything else and then I decide how I want it to end and then I piece it together like a puzzle as I write it. I know, I'm weird.**

**Anyway, I love you guys, please leave me a review, those things are like the life blood of my inspiration to write 3**

**Thank you for reading so far!**

**~DDW129**


	4. Balance

**I'm so sorry! I know this update is super late I'm really really sorry! Please enjoy the newest chapter!**

**ENJOY IT!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the concept of angels, demons, fallen angels and the like.**

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Sakura waited and watched where she knew the door to the base resided, but tried to be inconspicuous about it, incase another angel showed up and decided to ask her about her post and what she was paying particular attention to. She hated this feeling of keeping information away from her superiors, important information regarding the base of fallen angels that were obviously in the process of carrying out a very elaborate plan. But she couldn't risk Sasuke getting caught up in the chaos of a team of angels bringing down the wrath of heaven upon their base.

That's when she sensed her best friend coming in to check on her and was both filled with overwhelming joy and nervous caution at the same time. The beautiful blonde angel swooped down with her bright, pure white wings and landed on the cloud bank Sakura was occupying as Sakura smiled at her best friend; green eyes alight with happiness and relief that of all the angels that she would confront since the time she spent trapped underground, the first of them would be Ino.

The blue eyed beauty laughed as she hugged Sakura, "I just had to come down and check up on you, they always give the archangel's the longest and most arduous tasks, sometimes I can't help but get a bit bored and lonely without you in the top tier." Ino complained jokingly, taking a seat beside Sakura as Sakura laughed slightly and agreed with Ino's observations.

Sakura gauged that since Ino seemed to be acting normally, no one had tried to check up on her while she had been locked up, so no one knew that she had been taken hostage, no one knew that she had ever left her post. She felt more relief wash over her and began to feel her confidence boost in the path that lay ahead of her as long as those preliminary issues were taken care of.

"Ino… I… I know this is a very sensitive subject, but I wanted to ask you about that night… when you were defiled by the demon…" Sakura glanced at her best friend from the corner of her eye and watched Ino's face quickly sober into a somber expression.

"I wanted to know… what happened?" Sakura hoped to gain more knowledge about those that lived below them, she thought maybe she could figure out more about the fallen angels, and find out if maybe Sasuke wasn't the only one who had some remnants of good and kindness in him. She remembered when they saved Ino from the chamber where she had been left chained and naked; Ino hadn't spoken for about a month and then never mentioned the incident to anyone. She only described the fallen angel that had done it to her. A cruel, emotionless angel with black hair and eyes that went by the name of Sai, and for a few years, when she came back to her mate, an angel that preferred to be called Shikamaru, he treated her like glass. He was so uncharacteristically careful with her for a long time and Ino eventually recovered.

But Sakura wanted to know what happened, maybe Ino had spoken to the fallen angel, maybe something happened that she couldn't afford to tell anyone that she didn't absolutely trust and Sakura decided it was time that she found out. She had never questioned Ino about this, she felt no need to, but now she had a distinct purpose in finding out more information about her black winged friend.

Ino let out a breath and whispered, "He said he was an artist, he wanted to paint a portrait of me. I was posing as a human, working a few miracles here and there, as per orders, but he was so handsome and sweet, I couldn't refuse him. I didn't notice the seals around the room until it was too late. If it had been you, you probably would have knocked him into the room and drawn a demon holding seal on the door before he could even think that he had won. I asked him why he was doing this, and he said it was because I was the most beautiful being he had ever seen, and he knew that being what he was he could never have me by fair means, so he would be selfish, as was his nature, and take me anyway. I begged him not to and he… when he kissed me… it was different from when Shikamaru and I kissed. There was something darker there, it was impure, everything that had happened. It was dirty and it tainted me and I had to bathe in holy water and soak it all away. When he left he told me he would tell the angels where I was so I wouldn't be left alone for very long. In his own way, he was… kind… and gentle. And…" Ino choked on her words… but the unspoken words passed between them with the utmost understanding and care.

Sakura realized… Ino had enjoyed it.

Sakura let out a shaky breath and looked at Ino, "It's okay Ino… it's okay, you couldn't help it, these things that happened to you, even your own feelings… it's not your fault, these were things that you couldn't control." Ino nodded slowly, but then picked up her face and stared into Sakura's eyes as she proclaimed, "I still love Shikamaru! There was nothing, is nothing better than our love… I would never abandon it or trade it for anything. My heart is absolutely certain of him Sakura, maybe even more so after what happened…" Ino trailed off as she looked away in thought and Sakura sat in silence.

Neji. She had almost forgotten about him, how sad that she now remembered her mate… whom she was not so certain could still be considered her mate, since in the span of a few days, the love she had in her heart for him had dwindled to that of a love for a close friend and it pained her heart to think of what he would feel when he found out that she no longer felt the same intensity of love for him as he did for her. She closed her eyes and released a breath. It wouldn't be worse than if he found out why she no longer held such feelings for him anymore.

Sakura put a comforting arm around Ino's shoulders and smiled at her friend. They began to speak of their friends, the angels and what they had been doing for the past few days. They talked about Shikamaru and Sakura could tell that Ino truly was infatuated with him; he had been there for her through anything and everything. Sakura could remember that for a short time after she came back from her incident, some other angels didn't want to directly touch her, even though she had been purified by holy water, in their eyes she had still been tainted, and Shikamaru acted as her wall to keep them away, as her protector, and he never left her side. Sakura smiled, happy that her friends had found true love.

After a few hours Ino took her leave, mentioning meeting up with Shikamaru soon, waved goodbye and swept her wings up before taking off. Sakura watched her friend leave before looking down upon the planes of land before her and waited for Sasuke.

The third day had come and the wait had become more and more agonizing as the hours passed, but Sasuke managed to wait it out, emerging from the doorway into the large chamber where the seals on the ground were slowly reaching completion. He looked at Itachi, the tension between them had dwindled since they had last stood in each other's presence, but it was still there, like an aftertaste in the air.

"I'm going out; I'll be back by nightfall." Sasuke grunted out, turned away from his brother to proceed down a different stone hall way when Itachi's voice stopped him.

"I'll know if you go to see her, I'll smell the angel on you." Itachi stared hard at his brother's back. Sasuke looked at him, "What will you do? Tell on me? You can only do so much to prevent me from seeing her, and now that she's free, you can't touch her, so just stay out of it."

Itachi narrowed his eyes at his brother, "When our brethren cross the gate into this world, they will smell her on you too, what will you tell them?"

"That it's none of their business. I'm stronger than them, they won't push me." With that, Sasuke continued down the hall and walked out of the base, making his way into town with the guise of humanity, intent on finding Sakura.

And it seemed he hadn't had to look very far. She had made herself comfortable in one of the human parks, underneath a cherry blossom tree. Her long hair was braided beautifully and she wore a light green summer dress as to not stand out amongst the humans, since in their present state, they were visible to everyone. He made his way towards her, a small smile on his face as he sat beside her and gingerly took her hand into his own.

She looked at him with a warm smile on her lips and said, "I knew if I waited here you'd find me…" Sasuke replied with a kiss to her forehead and murmured, "Of course, I'll always find you…"

After enjoying some peace in each others company under the cherry blossom tree, they stood and walked around the town; along the way Sasuke noticed Sakura would influence a few little things around them. She would heal a dying tree or take away a man's limp or stop a child's crying. She seemed to like the happiness and the bright effect that would come from these little acts and he admired it silently.

Even though Sakura had always had the firm belief that there was absolutely nothing pure about fallen angels since they had forsaken the grace of heaven, the feeling of Sasuke's hand in her own and the quiet contentment in the air around them felt pure, and different. She felt as if she crossed a barrier that she had never realized was there and felt herself become more comfortable in Sasuke's presence. It felt as if his darkness had become tranquil in her presence, if anything, it complimented her radiance and did not fight it.

When they reached the park again where they had begun their walk, she could tell Sasuke felt the difference as well. Sakura leaned on the tree, not letting go of Sasuke's hand as he stepped closer to her, close enough to feel her breath on his lips and to see all the different flecks and shades of green in her irises.

"Sakura…" her name whispered through his lips as he searched her eyes and glanced at her lips, the unspoken question carried between them was answered when Sakura closed the distance between them and kissed Sasuke.

He raised his hand to caress her cheek and touch her silky bangs as Sakura ran her fingers along the back of Sasuke's neck and up into his soft black tresses, gripping his hair and massaging his scalp intimately. He hummed against her lips and released a breath of surprise when Sakura gripped his hair a bit roughly and traced her tongue into his mouth. She pulled him closer, molding their bodies together against the tree, deepening the kiss as their lips and tongue moved and caressed each others. Sakura felt her body come alive; her heart felt open and everything felt right. The sun was setting and the stars began to come out as they shared their passionate kiss, only even pausing to breathe and look into each others eyes.

Sasuke was the first to pull away enough to speak when he managed to murmur, "I need to go back… Itachi… I don't want him to come out to find me…" Sakura nodded in understanding, gazing into Sasuke's eyes as she whispered, "When can we meet again?" Sasuke smiled at her, "The day after tomorrow." Sakura nodded and kissed Sasuke once more before letting him go. He kissed her hand before he left and bid her goodnight.

Sakura watched him go before she made her way to the nearest empty church with a baptismal pond that carried holy water. Once again she bathed in the purified waters and hissed in pain at the feeling of the taint of demon slowly seeping out of her body. All the while, she found herself thinking that this pain was fine to endure as long as she could continue to see Sasuke, he was worth her all her efforts. With that thought, she exited the bath, dried, adorned her robes and flew her way back up to her post.

For days Sakura had been splitting her time between keeping her post and monitoring the magic that Itachi had been brewing in the underground base, which was beginning to worry her more and more with each passing day, and spending time with Sasuke. She had placed a small seal in the base so she could sense what was going on with the dark power radiating from its core and it was becoming more and more alarming.

Even so, she was to go to the human festival in a few days time with Sasuke, and even though these things should be trivial to an immortal angel such as herself, these small moments of delight were something she very much looked forward to, and made her very happy.

She was weaving the spirit of peace into the air one evening for the people of Konoha when she felt the light of the archangel approach her and tried to squelch the feeling of dread that begin to fill her. She looked up to see Neji approaching her with a warm smile on his face, the air billowing through his hair and robes.

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**CLIFFY! I'm sorry its taken so long for me to update, I've been basically holed up doing nothing but working on prints for AX 2014 for the past few weeks or whatever how long its been and yea… IT WAS SO STRESSFUL. But also fun. Anyway, I hope you guys liked the chapter, please review please review please review! Reviews are the life blood of my stories!**

**I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!**

**~DDW129**


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